A place to come for writing tips and news, Ideas and hints, musings and memories.

Tuesday, November 14, 2006

My Comfort Zone

What is "comfort zone?"

The Wikipedia encyclopedia says this: a term used to denote a type of mental conditioning resulting in artificially created mental boundaries, within which an individual derives a sense of security.

Yikes. Technical terms.

Setting up a fence to keep out anything that disturbs me? Is that what the encyclo is saying?

* Like going to conference and because I know no one--wanted to hide out in my room with the one person I did know (hubby)? That's a comfort zone?

* Like cringing when a professional pianist strides into the church/building and it's my allotment to play that night?

* Like pushing my plans and dreams and hopes and manuscripts in front of people who will criticize and say no?

* Like worrying about submitting my baby (manuscript) and then (when it is published) worrying whether anyone will read it? or worse, like it?

* Like laying all these thoughts in front of the world (yeah, right!) to read and waiting-waiting-waiting for some one to comment--and no one does. (whine, whine)

Could be those are just some of my comfort zone fences. How do I get rid of them?

Well, I tore down one when I went to conference and refused to hide out in my room. Another came down when I joined a writer's critique group and now learn from (accept) the critiques of my partners. I'm tearing at another one while preparing to submit (ending result from editor: yes, I love your ms--send us ten more immediately! or no, what do you think you're doing calling yourself a writer? You need to give up the fantasy and quick!)

Then I tear off one board at a time with the bloggie thing. (Mental dialogue with self: You wrote total drivel today! The next day: not bad, one out of twenty ain't too bad!)

Why erect them in the first place? Insecurity? Privacy? Yeah, probably. Writers are all those things, and more. It's safer to hide behind the fence and peek through a crack. But nothing ever gets done. No goals are reached. No satisfaction of completed projects fill the heart. Remember: There's no soaring with the eagles when you're strutting with the turkeys.

And, yes, writers aren't the only ones who have comfort zones. Are you willing to expand your wings? Try something new? and scary? and daring? Then spread those wings and jump from that nest. You just might fly!Hints on cooking turkey:Think you know it all when it comes to cooking turkey? Read on:

First, a "frozen" turkey is fresher than a "fresh" turkey! Yeah, really. The frozen turkey was immediately frozen while fresh turkeys can sit in the store for days. Buy frozen.

1. It takes a full 24 hours to defrost every five pounds of frozen turkey in the frig (the safe method!)

2. Use a shallow roasting pan to keep from steaming the meat.

3. Do not stuff the turkey ahead of time as harmful bacteria growth could spoil the uncooked turkey. Stuff just before cooking, and remember to stuff lightly as stuffing will expand.

4. Roast your turkey breast-side down on a v-shaped rack until the last hour, then turn it to brown. Result: moister white meat.

5. To prevent the white meat from drying out, loosely cover just the breast with a triple thick sheet of aluminum foil, butter on the inside to prevent sticking. Remove after the first hour.

6. Never rely on the little plastic thermometer or the turkey will overcook. Use an instant read thermometer inserted several inches down through the skin between the thigh and the breast. When thermometer reads 165, turkey's ready.

7. Let the cooked turkey "rest" after it has been removed from the oven. This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the turkey.

8. Don't reheat the turkey. This will dry it out. Serve it warm with hot gravy.

Remember: baste, baste, baste. Use a cooking bag which keeps all the juices and flavors in the bag and turkey automatically basted. Juices do not evaporate, stick, or burn.

Happy eating!

I love the stretching-my-wings-makes-me-think quotes. Here's a good one for you:God created us with an overwhelming desire to soar...He designed us to be tremendously productive and "to mount up with wings like eagles," realistically dreaming of what He can do with our potential. --Carol Kent

5 comments:

Loved your entry for today. It’s true that our lack of self-discipline often allows us to retreat into our comfort zones to avoid challenges.

But I have to admit, I love those times when easing into one my comfort zones is the appropriate medicine for what ails me. I love working (playing) in my garage woodshop in the evenings and on weekends. I really enjoy dozing on the couch with a dog on either side of me. Watching Sunday football with chips, peanuts and a big bowl of ice cream is great. Snoozing in our new “comfort bed” with all the pillows, comforters, shams, covers, quilts and bedclothes I don’t even know the names of, ain’t bad either. But my favorite comfort zone is being with the love of my life during one of our too-infrequent vacations, getting lost on a day-long ride on country backroads, or sitting quietly in church with her hand in mine.

I know we can’t spend as much time in our comfort zones as we’d like. The challenges are necessary so that we can grow and actualize our potential. But for me, my “comfort zone time” serves to remind me of what it is I’m actually working for.

VERY WELL PUT. I CAN SEE YOU HAVE COME SO FAR OUT FROM YOUR COMFORT ZONE AND I AM PROUD OF YOU. IT TAKES COURAGE AND ALOT OF DETERMINATION AND DISCIPLINE TO KEEP HANGING IN THERE. SO HANG ON IT WILL BE WORTH THE RIDE AND THE WAIT. MARVELOUS WRITNGSANGELKAY

About Me

I love writing and books, dogs and cats, babies and grandsons, real cheesecake and fruit, country scenes and cities at night, chocolate and nuts, fireplaces and hot tubs, flowers and trees, Christmas trees and Christmas--period, research and editing, eating and hanging with my best buddy--hubby, stories that intrigue me and stories that enchant me, words of wisdom from the ancients and words of wisdom from children, and certainly not least: God and his mercy.